Comments, input and alterations are very welcome!
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Tell Me Baby, How Many Times
(Big Bill Broonzy)

Chess Studios, Chicago, Illinois, US, June 11, 1964

Mick Jagger - vocals, harmonica
Keith Richards - electric guitar
Charlie Watts - drums
Bill Wyman - bass
Brian Jones - electric guitar

My friends all told me and I thought it was a joke
I best call you baby, I love her so
Tell me baby, tell me darling, how many times

Jump up and tell me, oh, tell the truth
Didn’t I see you last night, baby, out actin’ a fool
Tell me baby, oh darling, how many times

I called this morning ‘bout half past four
I heard somebody runnin’ out your back door
Tell me baby, tell me darling, how many times

You're bound to tell me, oh, tell the truth
Before I get mad baby and all is through
Tell me baby, tell me darling, how many times

Produced by Andrew Loog Oldham

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “The Rest Of The Best” 4LP Box
(Teldec 6.30125 FX) Germany, December 16, 1983



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-11 11:05 by René.

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Simple but a song with a great bass........

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Never released? EDIT: Oh! I have it!





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-04 14:46 by DandelionPowderman.

Wow! I'm doubly shocked, one that I've never heard this, and two that no one has commented on it!!

According to Keno, this track "was released by mistake in 1983 in West Germany on the album The Rest of the Best. When the LP was put together, this song, which was titled in a session log as "Tell Me Baby", was mistaken for the Jagger/Richards song "Tell Me", and included on the album and listed as "Tell Me" on the LP sleeve."

Well, to whomever in Germany made the "mistake", and also to René, Ich bin Ihnen sehr dankbar! After just one listen -- transporting me to Chess studios in 1964 -- this little track instantly joins the ranks of my favorite Stones covers. Everything works perfectly, the production is glorious, and Mick's harp has never sounded better. Talk about an undiscovered gem!!

In case you've never it heard it either, here t'is:



Drew

Never Heard of this song....hope it's a good one...

2 1 2 0

Outstanding Harp, believe it's Brian

Wow - never heard that before! Charmed I'm sure :E

My first reaction was: what the hell is that!><

But then, checking a bit my memory, and consulting youtube, it somehow started to make sense... I probably had the song in some bootleg, but I need admit I haven't given it many listenings in my whole life. So thanks Rene for reminding us of its existence (and I am sure it is really news to many!).

A nice blues cover, and a rich, full stereo sound, well produced. Reminds me of the similar blues covers they did back then in those very fruitful Chess sessions under the supervision of their heroes. Probably they sound a bit more sophisticated, or even uptight than normally due to the extraordinary circumstances, but then again, they would never play the blues so 'well' and 'right' as they do then (and here). Reminds me especially of "Confessin' The Blues" and "Look What You've Done", but I perfectly understand why they did choose those two to release back then, since I think both of them are a bit more memorable performances. But nothing wrong with "Tell Me Baby" - always a treasure to hear the guys doing good ole blues...

Damn those guys are masters laying that slow groove... Jagger is a nice mix of a scholar-like blues imitator and fresh originality. A great harp solo as well.

- Doxa

P.S. Thanks to drewmaster - and Keno - for the story of its background. Is it released anywhere officially since THE REST OF THE BEST?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-04 14:50 by Doxa.

Quote
Doxa
My first reaction was: what the hell is that!><

But then, checking a bit my memory, and consulting youtube, it somehow started to make sense... I probably had the song in some bootleg, but I need admit I haven't given it many listenings in my whole life. So thanks Rene for reminding us of its existence (and I am sure it is really news to many!).

A nice blues cover, and a rich, full stereo sound, well produced. Reminds me of the similar blues covers they did back then in those very fruitful Chess sessions under the supervision of their heroes. Probably they sound a bit more sophisticated, or even uptight than normally due to the extraordinary circumstances, but then again, they would never play the blues so 'well' and 'right' as they do then (and here). Reminds me especially of "Confessin' The Blues" and "Look What You've Done", but I perfectly understand why they did choose those two to release back then, since I think both of them are a bit more memorable performances. But nothing wrong with "Tell Me Baby" - always a treasure to hear the guys doing good ole blues...

Damn those guys are masters laying that slow groove... Jagger is a nice mix of a scholar-like blues imitator and fresh originality. A great harp solo as well.

- Doxa

P.S. Thanks to drewmaster - and Keno - for the story of its background. Is it released anywhere officially since THE REST OF THE BEST?

It's song #18 on the Chess Sessions-bootleg.

Can't believe some people here don't know this song which was on one of the first stones studio bootleg ever.

Muddy also covered it on the Chess album Muddy Sings Big Bill 1960



ROCKMAN

Ever since I listened to this song for the first time in the late 1970s on the 'Bright Lights Big City' bootleg album this was always one of my favourite early Stones songs. I never knew that there was a stereo edit. Thnaks so much for the video!

I do not understand why they never released those tracks from the bootleg officially. Even though they may not be classics they're a pleasure to listen to, and you really feel like being inside these 1960s studios.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-04 15:13 by saltoftheearth.

I have for many years got this song on a bootleg, called BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY (vinyl, that is). It is rather an unnatural album from different sources and times. This song is one of four tracks on that LP, which, as far as I understand, are from the same dates as the five songs that make up their second EP. (5 BY 5. Those we know are "If You Need Me", "Empty Heart", "2120 South Michigan Avenue", "Confessing the Blues" and "Around And Around".)

And so far written, I notice that those facts are better presented by Doxa in the preceding post,

To make up a little up for that I google and find
[bootlegpedia.com]
The four mentioned tracks are track no 6 -9.

Addition: Later I obtained the song from the German Decca box "THE BEST OF THE REST". Dandelion reminds me of.

Last edit: A couple of printing errors.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-04 15:40 by Witness.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-04 15:23 by DandelionPowderman.

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Well I have got this album so I guess I have Heard it then....

2 1 2 0

Quote
DandelionPowderman

I was not aware that "It's All Over Now" and "Good Times, Bad Times", the preceding single, were from the same sessions as the second EP. I
have to admit that I obtained that single and the two EPs minus one song on the fabulous German Decca's release AROUND AND AROUND.

Neither was I aware that there were more songs cut on the sessions on those two dates, one star and two stars. For instance "Look What You've Done" (for me included in THE BEST OF THE REST), or that there exists another "2120 South Michigan Avenue"! The latter song with a potential for being quite different between the versions. "Don't Lie to Me", I think I have got featured a live version of from the Mick Taylor era. "Reelin'And Rocking" I have not heard from the Stones, it seems to me. "Time Is on My Side", I assume, does the vol 2 version come from June 11th and maybe the more poppish version version from November 8th. Or, alternatively, the vol 2 version from November 8th and the single version from another studio. I stand to be corrected on that score.

Quote
Witness

Quote
DandelionPowderman

I was not aware that "It's All Over Now" and "Good Times, Bad Times", the preceding single, were from the same sessions as the second EP. I
have to admit that I obtained that single and the two EPs minus one song on the fabulous German Decca's release AROUND AND AROUND.

Neither was I aware that there were more songs cut on the sessions on those two dates, one star and two stars. For instance "Look What You've Done" (for me included in THE BEST OF THE REST), or that there exists another "2120 South Michigan Avenue"! The latter song with a potential for being quite different between the versions. "Don't Lie to Me", I think I have got featured a live version of from the Mick Taylor era. "Reelin'And Rocking" I have not heard from the Stones, it seems to me. "Time Is on My Side", I assume, does the vol 2 version come from June 11th and maybe the more poppish version version from November 8th. Or, alternatively, the vol 2 version from November 8th and the single version from another studio. I stand to be corrected on that score.

Email me, Witness, and I'll send you the Chess Sessions.

I must have listened to this on the Chess Sessions, but it got missed among all the other good things on that boot, and I never realised that it had ever been an official release anywhere. Lovely atmospheric cover - guitars really into the slow groove but having fun at the ends of the verses, a great harp solo, and a great vocal from Mick. Thanks for spotting this one, René!

One of the bootleg tracks that never stood out for me from those early sessions, I'll have to give it another listen when I'm able to see if anything has changed.

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Not the most complete boot.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-04 19:14 by mitch.

One of the hidden gems waiting on release in a Chess box set ...

Quote
RobertJohnson
One of the hidden gems waiting on release in a Chess box set ...

Does this stuff belong to ABKCO?

Yes, I think so ...

Keep waiting, then.

Nice to be reminded of this old Chess recording. I have it hidden away somewhere on some long-forgotten, dusty outtakes CD.

Always good to hear Big Bill Broonzy. Like Doxa mentions, it sounds a bit like Confessin' The Blues. I like it.

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Good Times Bad Times was recorded 25th Feburary 1964, Time Is On My Side (single version) was recorded 26th June 1964. Both were recorded at Regent Sound Studios in England. Little Red Rooster was also recorded at Regent Sound on 2nd November 1964.

Reelin' And Rockin' and Fannie Mae, are both BBC recordings.

There is far more satisfying boots of the Chess material available than the one shown, however I believe it was the first of it's kind.

I Always loved that tune when i first heard it on vinyl Bright Lights, Big City, and then i acquired the Sister Morphine Chess Sessions which is arguably the one Stones bootleg I frequently come back to for repeated listens. I know that Sister Morphine releases got knocked from a lot of folks for just being remastered copies of other releases (and not having a unique products of their own), but I think they did a great job with the Chess Sessions.

Pretty cool straight ahead 12-bar blues number. Harmonica is great...did Jagger play that well that early on or it is possibly Brian playing it as Nikkei has suggested here? Very American sounding vocal by Mick. I've always wondered if that takes work for someone with a British accent.

peace